New Jersey Gives Curaleaf A Second Chance

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On April 13, 2023, The New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) announced that Curaleaf would not be able to renew their cultivation and retail licenses for adult use cannabis for violating labor rules under the state’s cannabis regulations. In a surprise reversal, the NJ CRC voted to approve the license renewals with some caveats during an emergency meeting on April 17.

According to Commissioner Krista Nash with the NJ CRC, Curaleaf did not abide by the law when it failed to recognize workers’ vote to unionize in a timely manner. She says evidence includes testimony from workers and the union. “In my opinion, Curaleaf, in several of its locations, have not complied with the mandatory labor provisions set forth in the law,” says Nash. “And that alone was reason to deny their application for renewal.”

In a press release published by Curaleaf following the reversal, the company say they will be complying with the demands set by the NJ CRC to provide documentation of its labor practices, confirm ongoing compliance and provide evidence of good faith efforts to negotiate collective bargaining agreements. “Today’s decision by the CRC Board to vacate their unprecedented action last week is an incredible victory for our 500 NJ team members and vindication for what we knew all along: Curaleaf is in good standing with the CRC and has fulfilled every requirement necessary for the renewal of our licenses,” says Matt Darin, CEO of Curaleaf in the same statement.

While the second chance comes with a number of caveats, the decision reversal is definitely unprecedented. The Board at the NJ CRC said that if Curaleaf does not comply with those demands, they have the ability to take further action at the next meeting. “Either we hold true to the law and protect the hard-working men and women of New Jersey who want fair wages and working conditions, or we can reward bad behavior and ignore these mandates for the sake of money and profits,” says Nash. “The conditions contained in these resolutions presented today offer Curaleaf a second chance to course correct.”

Kentucky Legalizes Medical Cannabis

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff
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Following years of attempts by legislators and activists to get legal medical cannabis moving in Kentucky, the state just legalized medical cannabis last week, making it the 38th state in the country to legalize medical cannabis. In front of a crowd of stakeholders, advocates, patients and legislators, Governor Andy Beshear signed SB 47 into law along with a sports betting bill as the crowd erupted in applause.

Crowds cheer as Gov. Beshear signs the bill into law

“I have been pushing for medical cannabis and sports betting for years,” Gov Beshear wrote in a tweet. “Today, I signed these two bills into law. Team Kentucky delivers and we get results. Congrats, Kentucky.” The Cabinet for Health and Family Services is tasked with developing the regulations for medical cannabis, which are due by July 1, 2024. The law doesn’t go into effect until 2025 though. That agency will be in charge of implementing the medical cannabis program, operation, oversight and regulation for growing, retail and production.

Each state legalizes cannabis in its own weird way and Kentucky is no different. The bill does not allow cannabis smoking, but does allow for raw cannabis flower to be sold and vaporization. Qualifying conditions include PTSD, epilepsy, cancer, nausea, MS and pain management, but the bill allows for more conditions to be approved for medical cannabis prescriptions later on. This sort of foot-in-the-door approach has been used by plenty of other states and often carves a path for a broader, more sensible medical cannabis framework following legalization.

Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Louisville is a major proponent of medical legalization in Kentucky and has sponsored bills in the past. While he stressed the importance of the weird no-smoking provision, he also praised the legislature for finally getting this done. “There are thousands and thousands of Kentuckians who just want to be and want to feel better, and this will help them with that,” says Rep. Nemes.

Cannabis Quality Conference Dates, Location Announced

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff
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Innovative Publishing Company, Inc., the publisher of Cannabis Industry Journal has announced the return of the Cannabis Quality Conference (CQC), taking place October 16-18, 2023 at the Hilton in Parsippany, New Jersey. Presented by Cannabis Industry Journal, the CQC is a business-to-business conference and expo where cannabis industry leaders and stakeholders meet to build the future of the cannabis marketplace.

“New Jersey and the surrounding cannabis markets welcomed the CQC with open arms in 2022 and we’re excited to come back to North Jersey and expand on what we have built,” says Aaron Biros, editor of Cannabis Industry Journal and director of the Cannabis Quality Conference. “In addition to the sessions on cannabis quality, lab testing and infused products manufacturing, we will host sessions on the quality of business, strategic operational considerations and more.” The CQC is seeking abstracts for presentations and posters to be considered for the event. Click here to see the call for abstracts.

In addition to the two full days of cannabis education and programming, pre-conference workshops designed to address safety and compliance in cannabis edibles will take place on October 16. Also new to this year’s event is a strategic co-location with the Food Safety Consortium (FSC) running at the same time and in the same space as the CQC, allowing for food safety and cannabis professionals to meet and share best practices.

“We are bringing two great conferences together under one roof,” says Rick Biros, president of Innovative Publishing and director of the Food Safety Consortium. “The Food Safety Consortium will continue its strategic meeting of the minds format, but we are complementing that with the practical, boots-on-the-ground Food Safety Hazards track. Co-location with the CQC allows attendees to take advantage of additional education on product testing and quality assurance in the burgeoning cannabis market, as well as preconference workshops delving into infused product safety and compliance that will appeal to both food safety and cannabis professionals.”

Click here to stay up to date on lodging, early bird pricing, keynote announcements and more. All of these events will take place October 16-18, 2023 at the Hilton in Parsippany, New Jersey. For sponsorship and exhibit inquiries, contact RJ Palermo, Director of Sales, and Chelsea Patterson, Account Executive. Stay tuned for more information and when registration opens.

About Cannabis Industry Journal 

Cannabis Industry Journal is a digital media community for cannabis industry professionals. We inform, educate and connect cannabis growers, extractors, processors, infused products manufacturers, dispensaries, laboratories, suppliers, vendors and regulators with original, in-depth features and reports, curated industry news and user-contributed content, and live and virtual events that offer knowledge, perspectives, strategies and resources to facilitate an informed, legalized and safe cannabis marketplace.

About the Cannabis Quality Conference

The Cannabis Quality Conference is an educational and networking event for the cannabis industry that has cannabis safety, quality and regulatory compliance as the foundation of the educational content of the program. With a unique focus on science, technology, safety and compliance, the “CQC” enables attendees to engage in conversations that are critical for advancing careers and organizations alike. Delegates visit with exhibitors to learn about cutting-edge solutions, explore three high-level educational tracks for learning valuable industry trends, and network with industry executives to find solutions to improve quality, efficiency and cost effectiveness in the evolving cannabis industry.

ASTM Develops Two New Cannabis Standards

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff
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According to a press release emailed this week, ASTM International’s subcommittee focused on cannabis, D37, is in the midst of developing two new standards surrounding cannabis safety and education.

One standard, WK84667, is designed to “help document engineering controls for air filtration and person protective equipment (PPE) in cannabis processing facilities,” says ASTM member Trevor Morones. The premise of this standard appears to be employee safety; with proper, standardized air filtration and PPE, the standard will help companies keep their workers safe and prevent inhalation of potentially harmful particles, like cannabis dust, stalk fiber, florescence and crystalized dust. “We are working to develop a robust community of cannabis professionals who can share their experiences in workplace and personnel safety,” says Morones.

The other proposed standard, WK84589, seeks to develop a uniform metric for “determining the intoxication level of a cannabinoid.” Initially focusing on delta9-THC, the standard will help raise awareness and promote public health and safety by informing consumers how intoxicating a cannabis product is for the average adult.

ASTM Pamela Epstein says this standard will hopefully develop a form of measurement akin to ABV in alcoholic drinks, allowing consumers to see how potent a certain cannabis product is. “Beyond providing consumers with a complete assessment of a product’s total intoxicating/impairing effects, the proposed standard may provide regulators with a methodology to meaningfully account for public health and safety,” says Epstein. “The specification can unify consumer awareness and can be used across all product types and jurisdictions.”

The ASTM D37 committee is working on a number of other standards related to these and they invite anyone interested to share their feedback.

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FDA Punts on CBD Rules

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff
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On December 20, 2018, Former President Trump signed the Farm Bill into law, which removed hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) from the Controlled Substances Act, stripped the DEA’s authority from hemp and gave states the ability to regulate hemp markets of their own, with approval from the USDA.

FDAlogoWhen that Farm Bill became law, it paved the way for state-sanctioned hemp and CBD product markets and it seemed as if the floodgates were opening for legal CBD, but some caveats and gray areas remained. The same day the Farm Bill became law, the FDA released a statement asserting their authority, threatening enforcement actions for things like unsubstantiated drug marketing claims.

Over the past four years, the FDA has dealt with dozens of enforcement actions involving CBD products. The agency said they were “working quickly to further clarify our regulatory approach,” but that seems categorically false given how long it took them to tell the public they don’t know what to do. Finally, after four years and change of comment periods, industry frustration, warning letters and state-sanctioned gray markets, the FDA announced they need help from Congress.

Janet Woodcock, M.D., principal deputy commissioner at the FDA

Last week, the FDA published a statement from Janet Woodcock, M.D., principal deputy commissioner, that says, to paraphrase, they’ve given up. Industry stakeholders have long agreed that the food and dietary supplements regulatory framework is adequate for CBD products, citing minimal public health risk and a pre-existing framework that CBD could fit into easily. “The FDA’s existing foods and dietary supplement authorities provide only limited tools for managing many of the risks associated with CBD products,” says Dr. Woodcock. “Under the law, any substance, including CBD, must meet specific safety standards to be lawfully marketed as a dietary supplement or food additive.”

The reasoning behind the agency’s unwillingness to regulate it as a dietary supplement is because of safety concerns, like potential liver damage, possible drug interactions and reproductive harm. Scientific data available to the FDA shows that they cannot say that CBD is generally recognized as safe (GRAS). “Today we are announcing that after careful review, the FDA has concluded that a new regulatory pathway for CBD is needed that balances individuals’ desire for access to CBD products with the regulatory oversight needed to manage risks,” says Dr. Woodcock. “The agency is prepared to work with Congress on this matter.”

AOAC International Names New CSO

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff
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AOAC International, an independent nonprofit standards development organization has announced the appointment of Dr. Katerina (Kate) Mastovska as their new deputy executive director and chief science officer.

Dr. Katerina Mastovska

Most recently, Dr. Mastovska served as chief science officer for the Eurofins US Food Division. She has been an active member of AOAC for almost twenty years, winning the Harvey W. Wiley Award in 2021, their highest scientific honor. “I’m delighted to join the AOAC staff and lead the team of dedicated scientists,” says Dr. Mastovska. “AOAC has a critical role in food safety, and I’m inspired to continue to be a part of this important work.”

AOAC International works actively in the cannabis industry through their Cannabis Analytical Science Program (CASP), a working group established in 2019 that is dedicated to developing standardized methods in cannabis testing. In the world of cannabis lab testing, AOAC International creates standards under the standard method performance requirements (SMPR®) moniker, which are detailed descriptions of what analytical methods should be able to do.

More recently, CASP launched their own proficiency testing program last year and launched their first round, shipping samples to labs across the country in the Fall.

Connecticut Launches Adult Use Sales

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff
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The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection approved nine licenses for dispensaries to commence adult use sales on Tuesday, January 10. While nine were approved, just seven began adult use sales today. Connecticut also launched its “Clean Slate & Cannabis Erasure” website, as the state’s Clean Slate bill went into effect on January 1, effectively erasing thousands of cannabis convictions.

Governor Lamont at a press conference on January 9, discussing the Clean Slate bill.

Connecticut’s legislature voted to legalize cannabis back in 2021. On June 17, 2021, Governor Ned Lamont signed the bill into law, marking the beginning of the state’s journey of building a legal adult use cannabis market that culminates today.

In a speech he delivered on January 9, 2023, Governor Lamont told reporters that the bill eliminating past convictions makes a big difference. “Under a new state law that went into effect on January 1, our administration has marked 43,754 low-level cannabis convictions as erased,” the Governor tweeted, alongside a video of his speech. “An old conviction for possession should not hold someone back from pursuing their career, housing, professional, and education aspirations.”

Lt. Gov. Bysiewicz speaks to an audience Tuesday morning outside of the ZenLeaf Meriden dispensary.

At the ZenLeaf Meriden dispensary, one of the nine retailers authorized to commence sales, politicians, stakeholders, the press and customers met outside of the store for a news conference at 9 a.m., shortly before the store opened for business an hour later. Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz delivered a speech at the news conference where she celebrated the occasion, shared details on the launch and emphasized the importance of “not losing sight of a very robust medical program.”

In a video shared by WFSB, Lt. Gov. Bysiewicz said they are requiring all businesses to have a “medical preservation plan” to ensure safe, adequate and fair access for patients continues as the adult use market opens up. Part of that plan is a state-mandated cap of ¼ ounce of cannabis for all adult use purchases to make sure inventory remains available for patients.

New York Launches Adult Use Sales

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff
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On December 29 just before the end of 2022, New York officially launched legal adult use sales in the state, but at only one location. The nonprofit dispensary Housing Works Cannabis Co. held a grand opening party complete with music, speeches from politicians and regulators and very, very long lines.

Chris Alexander, executive director of the New York Office of Cannabis Management (NYOCM), had the honor of making the first legal purchase, a pack of gummies and an eighth of flower, at the dispensary on the afternoon of December 29. “It’s been a lot of work that’s come to get us to this point,” Alexander told reporters on location. “We do have a lot more work to do, a lot more stores to open.”

New York originally legalized adult use cannabis in early 2021. Following almost two years of setbacks, missed deadlines and failed promises, the state just barely met one deadline: opening a dispensary in 2022. Governor Kathy Hochul has previously said that twenty stores would be doing business before the end of 2022. According to NPR, 36 dispensaries have been licensed, the NYOCM has another 139 licenses they need to issue and there are roughly 900 applicants that are still waiting.

To many in the cannabis space, New York is expected to become a massive boon to the country’s cannabis economy. It is just taking a bit longer than expected to materialize. Roy Bingham, CEO of BDSA predicts it will be the second largest contributor to growth in cannabis sales through 2026, just behind Florida. “With nearly 15 million residents over the age of 21 and tens of millions more tourists visiting the state annually, New York is one of the most exciting cannabis opportunities in 2023,” says Bingham. “Despite some expected growing pains in the early years, the market is expected to be the second largest contributor to sales growth through 2026, following Florida.” More dispensaries in New York are expected to open their doors in the early weeks of 2023.

In another second-place finish, New York follows New Jersey as the second state in the tri-state area to legalize adult use sales. New Jersey launched its market in April of 2022.

Election Results for Cannabis: MD, MO Vote to Legalize

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff
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Election Day in 2022 has come and gone and as the dust settles, it looks like voters favored cannabis legalization in some states, but failed to pass muster with other key ballot initiatives. While we wait to see the final tallies for which party will gain congressional power in the United States, we can safely call the cannabis legalization ballot initiatives.

In Maryland, voters overwhelmingly passed a legislatively-referred ballot question to legalize cannabis for adults. Question 4 passed with a clear 65.5% margin. The General Assembly gets to decide a sales tax rate for all cannabis sales following the question’s approval.

With 89% of the votes reported, Missouri’s Amendment 3 appears to have passed muster with a 53.1% margin. Amendment 3 legalizes cannabis for adults and sets a 6% sales tax rate. Notably, it also expunges convictions non-violent cannabis-related offenses.

According to the Marijuana Policy Project and the Associated Press, ballot initiatives to legalize adult use cannabis in Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota have all failed.

Arkansas’s Issue 4, which would have legalized adult use cannabis and instated a 10% cannabis sales tax, lost by well over 100,000 votes. With 95% of the votes being reported, it appears that only 45.1% of voters in North Dakota backed cannabis legalization. South Dakota’s population struck down cannabis legalization with a 52.9% majority.

Uber Eats, Circle K Dip Their Toes in Cannabis

By Cannabis Industry Journal Staff
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Last week, Uber Eats and Leafly announced a partnership to begin cannabis deliveries in Toronto. Adults in Toronto can now place orders from licensed cannabis dispensaries through the Uber Eats app, delivered to them by the cannabis retailer. This marks the first time cannabis deliveries are possible on major delivery platforms.

General Manager of Uber Eats Canada Lola Kassim says their investments in delivery growth in Canada are paying off with deals like this. “We are partnering with industry leaders like Leafly to help retailers offer safe, convenient options for people in Toronto to purchase legal cannabis for delivery to their homes, which will help combat the illegal market and help reduce impaired driving,” says Kassim. “Over the last few years, we have invested heavily in our delivery business and selection has expanded tremendously. Uber Eats has grown quickly to become a versatile platform usable by diverse businesses large and small.”

Currently, Uber Eats Canada is working with three dispensaries: Hidden Leaf Cannabis, Minerva Cannabis and Shivaa’s Rose. Marissa and Dale Taylor, owners of Hidden Leaf, say this deal allows their small business to expand their reach and grow their business across the city.

Meanwhile, much further south in Florida, Circle K and Green Thumb industries have reached a deal offer up their gas station convenience stores in Florida as retail space for cannabis dispensaries.

Circle K is a massive global convenience store chain with 600 locations in Florida. The partnership they signed will allow Green Thumb to set up shop in ten of those locations beginning next year.

However, Florida regulators have stepped in and told reporters that they have not approved the deal. “This project has not been approved by the State,” a Florida Health Department spokesperson told the Washington Examiner. “Florida has never approved a Medical Marijuana Treatment Center to operate out of a gas station.”